Web reeling and tensioning apparatus



Aug. 20, 1968 HASKIN, JR ET AL 3,397,848

WEB REELING AND TENSIONING APPARATUS INVENTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 V :1 i vFiled Dec.

LAWRENCE H. HASKIN,JR. GEORGE W. KESLER ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1968 L, H,HASKIN, JR, ET AL 3,397,848

WEB REELING AND TENSIONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 6, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS.

co LAWRENCE H. HASKINJR. GEORGE W. KESLER FIG. 2

Aug. 20, 1968 L. H. HASKIN, JR, ET AL 3,397,848

WEB REELING AND TENSIONING APPARATUS Filed Dec.

1968 L. H. HASKIN, JR, ET AL 3,397,848

WEB REELING AND TENSIONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 6, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4FIG. 4

i I INVENTORS. LAWRENCE H. HASKIN, JR. GEORGE W. KESLER 5 BY L 96441ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 20, 1968 H. HASKIN, JR., ET AL 3,397,848

WEB REELING AND TENSIONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 6, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5FIG. 6

INVENTORS. LAWRENCE H. HASKIN, JR. GEORGE W. KESLER ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 3,397,848 WEB REELING AND TENSIONING APPARATUS Lawrence H.Haskin, Jr., and George W. Kesler, Richmond, Va., assignors to TheInta-Roto Machine Company, Inc., Richmond, Va., a corporation ofVirginia Filed Dec. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 599,632 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-562)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for winding Web material upon amandrel. A fluid operated pressure roller is used to press the webmaterial against the mandrel and an arrangement of idler rolls is usedto prevent web tension and especially fluctuations in web tension fromaffecting the pressure applied by the pressure roller.

Background of the invention (1) Field of the inventi0n.-This inventionrelates generally to machinery employed in the cutting, winding andreeling of rolled material originally in web form. The function of themachine is essentially that of movement of the web in a predeterminedpath followed by the cutting of the Web in a slitting operation, andsubsequent rewinding of the slit portions. The web may comprise paper orany material of generally similar handling characteristics.

(2) Brief description of the inventi0n.It has heretofore been recognizedas desirable in the construction of web slitting machines to supplypressure roller means for exerting a predetermined pressure on the webas it is rewound so that uniform density of the rewound material may beobtained. Especially, it is desirable that fluctuations in web tensiondo not affect the pressure applied by the pressure roller. Variousexpedients have been proposed to meet this objective, often employinggravity responsive devices, spring means, and other mechanical deviceswhich are not of sufiiciently dependable operation to suit the intendedpurpose. It is therefore a basic objective of the present invention toprovide an improved winding machine in which the pressure exerted on theweb as it is wound is free from influence by web tension or fluctuationsthereof.

This invention is directed to a machine whose purpose is to slit andrewind a continuous, moving web of paper or similar material. Thehardness or density of the rewound roll of material is controlled by thecontact pressure exerted by a movable pressure roll acting on therewound roll, and the machine employs an arrangement of rolls includinga movable dancer roll which render the contact pressure independent ofthe tension in the web, The pressure exerted by the pressure roll is,then, relatively large since it supplies the entire contact pressure.Because of this, even though fluctuation in force may occur which wouldalter the contact pressure, they will be relatively small in comparisonto the pressure exerted by the pressure roll, and hence of insignificanteifect.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view ofa web handling and slitting machine constructed and assembled inaccordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus partially broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, foreshortened sectional ice view, takensubstantially on the line 44 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction ofthe arrows;

FIGURE 5 is another enlarged detail sectional view, here taken on theline 55 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a still further cross sectional view showing details ofconstruction; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, detail cross sectional view on the line 7-7 ofFIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Description of the preferred embodiment In FIGURE 1, it will be observedthat the machinery 10 of the present invention comprises a supportingstandard assembly 12 of stationary form having side frame elements 14each including a top 16 and having a raised step portion 18 at one end.Frame design is optional insofar as the base and connecting structurefor the sides is concerned. For purposes of reference hereinafter, theframe has an input end 20 and a finish or rewind end 21. At the inputend 20 an idler roller 22 of substantially cylindrical form is rotatablymounted on the horizontal shaft 24 which, as seen in FIGURE 2, extendsbetween and is supported by the sides 14. Web material W, such as paper,plastic, foil, or the like, is introduced under the idler roller 22 atthe input end of the machine, thus entering the device in a linear,uniform path of travel. It will be understood that the web is deliveredunder tension. For example, the web may be delivered from a supply rollupon which a conventional unwind brake acts to maintain tension in theweb.

The machinery 10 hereof has, as a further major structural componentthereof, a movable frame generally identified in the drawing byreference numeral 26. The frame 26 carries the slitting devices of theassembly, and is composed of two opposing side frame members 28 mountedin substantially vertical alignment with the sides 14 of the main frame.Referring to FIGURE 6, it will be seen that cutting bar elements 30 and32 of substantially cylindrical form are carried on shafts 34, 36,respectively, which are journalled between the side frame members 28.The last named shafts are interconnected by two toothed gear wheels 38,4% Which function to insure joint rotation of the shafts at uniformrates. A blade member 42 is carried on the element 30 and is in constantengagement with a coacting blade contact wheel 44 mounted on the element32. The present disclosure, basically for purposes of avoidance ofunnecessary detail, shows one such blade assembly, but it is to beexpressly understood that any number of such assemblies may be spacedacross the elements. Stability of the coacting slitting elements 42, 44is essential, and to meet this necessity, the contact wheel 44 rides ona roller 46 mounted in a roller bracket 48. The bracket 48 is secured bya clamp assembly 50 on a fixed structural member 52 extended between theframe sides. Suitable cross members 88 further connect and space theframe sides from one another. The requisite stability of the blademember 42 is achieved through the expedient of collars 54 mounted on alaterally movable shaft 56 one end 58 of which has a lateral adjustmentwheel 60 connected on a fixed arm 62. The collars have forwardly facingopenings 64 closed by pivoted toggle trunnions 66 and the element 30rides in bearings 68 Within the openings. Hand knobs 70 are employed inthe connection of the trunnions 66. A catch 72 is pivotally mounted onthe side frame for locking an adjacent handle 74. A locking pinarrangement 76 having a lever 78 for movement of a pin 80 thereof isshown in FIGURE 7. Thus, inadvertent movement of the knife lever isprevented.

Referring to FIGURE 3, it will there be seen that a 3 pair of idlerrollers 82 and 84 are positioned on opposite sides of the slitting meansfor support of the web.

FIGURE 3 also illustrates that a specific path of travel for the web isprovided. The incoming direction of the Web is first received by thedancer roll 128 whose mounting will be subsequently described. Then, thedirection of the web is again reversed by the forward idler roller 86positioned at the front of the movable frame. The web then passes overthe aforementioned rollers 82 and 84 and ultimately passes over thepressure roller 90 to issue from the movable frame in a verticallydownward direction for interception by and upon the core or mandrel 106.

The net effect of this arrangement is to relieve the movable frame fromany influence due to tension in the web W. Considering the pressureroller 90, since the tensional web issues vertically downwardlytherefrom and since this is at right angles to the horizontal directionof movement of the movable frame, no horizontal component is imparted tothe movable frame at this point. Considering the roller 86, it will beseen that the total tension force T in the web will be exerted on theroller 86 to impart this force T to the movable frame tending to move itto the left in FIG. 3. However, as will be seen hereinafter, the dancerroll 128 imparts an opposing force T on the movable frame so that thenet efiect of the web tension is one of cancellation.

Thus, the sole responsibility for urging the pressure roll 90 againstthe rewound material rests upon hydraulic or fluid pressure mechanismhereinafter described and the contact pressure is independent of webtension or fluctuation therein.

The cylindrical pressure roller 90 is secured rotatably on an axle means92 mounted in opposing brackets 94. The brackets 94 further support abow roller 96 over which the web extends as shown in FIGURE 3. Thebrackets are of adjustable 'angularity, screw shaft adjustmentassemblies 98 with operating handles 100 being supplied, and thebrackets further have a longitudinal adjustment means 102 shown inFIGURE 1.

Supported between the stepped portions 18 of the main frame sides 14 isthe rewind mandrel 104 for rewinding of the slit web material, themandrel being mounted for rotation with and to be driven by a shaft 106.A releasable bearing bracket 108 holds the ends of the shaft which isrotated and driven in any selected manner thus to furnish the primarypower source for the device.

The essential purpose of the present invention is to control thehardness or density of the material on the mandrel 104. To this end, theframe 26 is movably mounted on the stationary frame 12 on elongatedcarriage shafts 110 which extend along each of the main frame sidesbetween supports 112. The shafts, intermediate their ends, rest onhearing blocks 114 and extend through bearings 116 in the movable frame.An accordian fold boot 118 of rubber or other flexible material encaseseach exposed end of the shaft to protect it from foreign objects.

A rack gear 120 with teeth extended downwardly is mounted on the innerside of the frame sides 28, and an upwardly facing lower rack 122 issecured on each of the main frame sides 14. The gears are alignable inpairs and a gear wheel 124 is operatively engaged between each upper andlower rack as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The gear wheels 124 have anaxial rod 126 therebetween on which is supported the dancer roll 128about which the web W is extended. In FIGURE 4 it will be seen thatplates 130 are secured to the upper rack gears 120 and are slotted at132 to receive the rod 126 allowing the dancer roll to move with respectto the upper movable frame 26 as well as with respect to the frame 12.As a consequence of the gear and rack arrangement shown, the dancer rollwill move with the upper frame 26 but at half its speed and distance sothat variations in web tension will not be induced by virtue of movementof the movable frame. Fluid pressure means comprising cylinders 134 withextensible arms 136 are anchored on the stationary frame and connectedto the movable frame to urge-the frame-26 toward the rewind roll tomaintain pressure against the rewind roll.

The purpose of this invention is to create a stable force condition bycancelling the force T exerted by the web on the movable frame 26 as waspreviously described. The web W is stretched by tension T and because ofits 180 wrap around the dancer roll 128, it exertsaforce toward theright on the roll shaft 126' 'equal to 2T."The roll shaft 126 isretained by the gears 124 ateach end, each gear engaging a lower rack122 fixed to" the primary frame 12 and an upper rack diametricallyopposite rack 122 and fixed to the movable frame 126.

The reaction to, the force 2T is one-half (or IT) at the point ofengagement between gears 124 and racks 122 and one half at the point ofengagement between gears 124 and racks 120. The force 1T exerted by thegears'124 against the racks 120, and in turn against the movable frame126 toward the right, cancelling the previously described force Texerted against the movable frame 126 toward the left by the web W,thereby successfully precluding any resultant horizontal force on themovable frame 126 because of the web tension T.

The tension regulating means is disclosed as incorporated in a slittingapparatus but, obviously it is usefully applicable in any web windingequipment.

What is claimed is:

1. A web winding mechanism for a web of indefinite length comprising, incombination,

a stationary frame having a winding mandrel rotatably mounted thereon,and means for driving said winding mandrel,

a movable frame mounted on said stationary frame for rectilinearmovement toward and away from said winding mandrel, a pressure rollrotatably mounted on said movable frame about an axis parallel to thatof the winding mandrel and positioned to engage web material wound onsaid winding mandrel so that the web material in issuing from saidpressure roll is directed normal to the path of said rectilinearmovement of the movable frame,

means for urging said movable frame along its path to contact thepressure roll against material wound on said mandrel,

an idler roll mounted on said movable frame in spaced parallel relationto said pressure roll and about which the direction of web material isreversed to effect a gross force on the movable frame, due to tension inthe web material, which is in the direction along said rectilinear pathof movement to move said movable frame and the pressure roll toward saidmandrel,

and means mounted on said stationary frame and connected to said movableframe and over which the direction of the web material is reversed tocancel the aforesaid gross force acting on the movable frame.

2. The web winding mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the lastmentioned means comprises a dancer roll having a pinion engaged with apair of racks, one rack being fixed to the stationary frame and theother rack being fixed to the movable frame.

3. A machine for handling a web of indefinite length comprising,

a stationary frame having a winding mandrel rotatably supported thereon,means for driving said winding mandrel, and guide means for receiving aWeb below the level of said winding mandrel and along an entrance pathgenerally parallel to the axis of rotation of said winding mandrel, I

a movable frame mounted on said stationary frame for movement along apath above and generally parallel to said entrance path for movementtoward and away from said winding mandrel,

a pressure roll rotatably mounted on said movable frame about an axisparallel to said winding mandrel, the axes of said winding mandrel andsaid pressure roll being contained within a common plane parallel tosaid path of movement of the movable frame,

an idler roll rotatably mounted on said movable frame 5 in spacedparallel relation to said pressure roll,

a dancer roll carried by both said stationary and movable frame formovement relative thereto as said movable frame is moved, said dancerroll being positioned to receive the web thereover and reverse thedirection thereof relative to said entrance path in passing from thedancer roll to the idler roll and to again reverse direction in passingover the idler roll to the pressure roll,

and means for urging the movable frame along its path 15 toward saidwinding mandrel.

4. The machine according to claim 3 wherein said dancer roll is providedwith a pinion, said pinion being engaged with a pair of racks, one onsaid stationary frame and the other on said movable frame.

5. The mechanism according to claim 1 including web slitting meansmounted on said movable frame.

6. The mechanism according to claim 3 including web slitting meansmounted on said movable frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1963 Roder 24267.1

7/ 1967 Rockstrom et al 242-65

